On Dec 7th, with the help of local businesses, St John’s Marlborough’s Year 12 students considered the big question – what will it take to transform our throwaway economy into one where waste is eliminated, resources are circulated, and nature is regenerated? Through a range of activities, talks and exhibitions they were able to explore the impact consumer choice can have on people and the planet.
The event was set up by St John’s STEM Coordinator Gary England and D&T Teacher Anna Brindle and supported by local businesses, Tin Horse Design, Packaging Not Included, and Refashion My Town who talked about textiles and fashion within a Circular Economy, and ran a Christmas-themed workshop.
Students worked in teams to disassemble old, unused or obsolete electronic products, including phones, tablets and laptops donated to the school. This helped them to visualise the amount of materials that make up everyday products that we often take for granted and dispose of.
Year 12 student, Amelia Ferris explained, “This made me realise that not many changes would need to be made for phones to become much more sustainable. For example, when you are done with your old phone you should be able to send it back to the company to extract all precious materials and re-use them for the new generation of phones.”
Amelia took away other important messages from the day. “The most eco-friendly clothes are the ones you don’t buy. I also realised the importance of composting at home because putting something in the bin that is ‘compostable’ will not actually decompose due to the conditions of landfill.”
Most importantly Amelie stated, “I personally can make a change. It isn’t only up to the leaders of the world!”
Teacher, Gary England, commented, “I wanted the day to open students’ eyes to the things they may have the power to change in their future careers.”
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